Bag-fastener.



E. S. ERIOKSON.

BAG FASTENER. APPLIGATIONI'ILED MAR.13,1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT O FFTQE.

EDXVARD S. ERICKSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO IEIL'WAUKEE STAMPING 00., OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, INCORPORATED.

BAG-FAsTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 483,158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bag-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the fastening mechanism for valises, traveling bags, and the like, and it pertains more especially to the device for locking the respective ends of the bag frame upon the respective sides of the central fastening, the central fastening being of ordinary construction.

The object of my invention is to provide two side fastenings of such a construction that when thrown out of locking engagement with the retaining catches, they will remain in their unlocked position without being held, whereby a person is free to use both hands for releasing and opening the central look, also whereby when closing the bag, both of the side fastenings will be automatically released and locked by simply pressing the respective sides of the bag frame together and such side fastenings are so constructed that they will show from the exterior whether they are in the locked or unlocked position, and the necessity of attempting to open the bag to ascertain whether the fastenings are locked or not is unnecessary.

The construction of my invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side view, part in section, of the two opposing frames of the bag provided with my fastening mechanism in position for locking the frames together. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the lock inclosing case, showing a top view of the fastening mechanism therein in its unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the device shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 2, showing the fastening mechanism in its locked position. Fig. 5 is a vertical section drawn on line w-m of Fig. 1. looking toward the left, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the locking mechanism.

Like parts are identified by the same reference figures throughout the several views.

The bag frame comprises two overlapping members, which are pivotally connected at their lower ends by rivets. "While such frame members may, if desired, be made of one piece of angle iron, L shaped in cross section, they are each preferably made of two separate fiat strips of metal, which are arranged at right angles to each other and connected together by a plurality of short transversely arranged pieces. The exterior overlapping frame member comprises the flat metallic strip 1, flat metallic strip 2, arranged at right angles to the strip 1, short connecting pieces 3 and hinge members 41, a, and the interior frame member comprises the flat metallic strip 5, transversely arranged strip 6, a plurality of short connecting pieces 7 and hinge members 8. The short pieces 3 and 7 are connected with the strips of the respective frame members by rivets 9 and the lower ends of the frame members are pivotally connected together by rivets 10. The frame members thus far described are substantially of ordinary construction and do not require further description.

The fastening mechanism secured to the frame on the respective sides of its center, hereinafter claimed, respectively consist of the stationary base plate 11 provided with stationary lug 11, slidable plate 12, provided with a retaining projection 14, push bearing 15 rigidly connected at one end with said slidable plate 12 and protruding at its opposite end through an aperture 16 of the inclosing cap 17, spring 18 connected at one end with said slidable plate and at its opposite end with said stationary plate and locking pin 19, all of which parts are connected with the exterior frame member and adapted to move with it as the bag is opened and closed. The interior frame member is provided at its respective sides with a hook 20, which is adapted as the bag is closed, to be brought into alinement with the fastening pin 19, whereby as the slidable plate 12 is released from the catch 14, said fastening pin 19 is brought into engagement with said hook 20, whereby the respective frame members are locked together.

The stationary base plate 11 and frame member 1 are respectively provided with elongated apertures 21 and 22, for the reception of the upper end of said fastening pin 19, whereby said pin is free to move longitudinally in said cap with said slidable plate 12 with which it is rigidly connected at its upper end. The spiral spring 18 is connected at one end with the slidable plate 12 throughthe vertical lug 23 and said spring is connected at its opposite end with the stationary base plate 11 by the lug 2st, and said spring is arranged at an angle to the movement of the slidable plate, whereby it has a tendency to not only throw said slidable plate together with the locking pin 19 toward the right, reference being had to Figs. 1 to 1 inclusive, but it also has a tendency to draw the inner end of the slidable plate to one side of its inclosing cap, whereby the projection 14, which is formed integral with said plate is brought into locking engagement with the stationary lug 11, when said push bearing 15 is forced inwardly, whereby said locking pin 19 will be retained out of locking position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,'while the bag is open. hen, however, the frame members of the bag are pressed together, the shoulder 25 of the hook member is brought into contact with the side of the locking pin 19 whereby the lug 14 of the slidable plate is thrown out of engagement with the lug 11 of the stationary plate, when said slidable plate will be thrown with a quick positive movement toward the right as the pin 19 is brought into locking engagement with the hook 20, whereby the respective sides of the frame members'are locked together.

Then it is desired to open the bag, the push members 15 of the respective side locks are in ved inward, whereby the lug 1a of the slidable plate will be caused to engage with the lug 11 of the stationary plate, whereby the locking pin l9 will be retained as previously stated, out of engagement with the fastening hook 20 and the operator is free to use both hands in unlocking the central fastenings of the bag. WVhen the push button 15 is thus caused to protrude through the end of the cap, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1, it will be understood that the frame members of the bag are locked together and the neces sity of trying the lock to determine such fact is unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with the respective ends of the overlapping frame members, of astationary base plate, a movable plate slidably supported from said base plate, atransversely arranged locking pin connected with said slidable plate, a cap inclosing said stationary and slidable plates, a push hearing affixed to said slidable plate and pro jecting at one end through an aperture provided therefor in one end of said inclosing cap, a lug affixed to said stationary plate, a projection connected with said slidable plate and adapted to engage said lug, a spring connected at one end with said slidable plate and at its opposite end with said stationary base plate, and a hook rigidly connected with the interior member of said bag frame and adapted when the bag is closed to register with the fastening pin carried by said slidable plate, a lug carried by said interior frame member adapted as the bag is closed to contact with one side of said fastening pin, whereby the projection of said slidable plate is disengaged from the lug of said stationary plate and said fastening pin will be thrown by the recoil of said spring into locking engagement with said hook.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD s. ERICKSON.

Witnesses O. R. ERWIN, JAS. B. ERWIN. 

